things to do in Austin Archives

My sister’s bachelorette party weekend in Austin surpassed all expectations. It was truly epic! We explored different parts of Austin, tried lots of restaurants/types of food, and partied hard (maybe a little too hard!).

All I really wanted was for Aekta to have the time of her life, and I think we can safely say that mission was accomplished! She spent an entire weekend with her best friends in an amazing city creating lifelong memories. I’d say her bachelorette party weekend was a true success!

I often get questions about the cities I travel to, so for today’s post, I thought I’d share where we stayed, where we ate, and what we did.

WHERE WE STAYED

We stayed at the JW Marriott in downtown Austin. My best friend Roshni, who also came this weekend, helped me pick this hotel. I wanted something a little more upscale, and it definitely fit the bill! The hotel was beautiful, the service was impeccable, and the location was perfect. We were close to all the bars, lots of restaurants, and South Congress (a popular street with lots of food trucks and cute shops). I can’t recommend this hotel enough!

WHERE WE ATE

Burro Cheese Kitchen – On Thursday, after we arrived at the hotel and dropped off our stuff, we walked down South Congress to grab some lunch. When we came across this food truck, a few of us decided to share some grilled cheese sandwiches. Roshni and I shared a sourdough, cheddar, gouda, and balsamic apricot fig sandwich. It was divine!

Torchy’s Tacos (both S 1st St and South Congress) – This was my third trip to Austin and also my third time eating at Torchy’s Tacos (first trip to Austin and second trip to Austin). They seriously make the BEST tacos in the world. The flavors just come together perfectly. This is a must try little place!

Licha’s Cantina – We had dinner here on Thursday night, and the food was fabulous. Roshni and I shared a corn cake dish and the cheese dip. I was impressed by how simple yet flavorful the dishes were. This isn’t any old Mexican restaurant – every dish is very thoughtful and unique. I also highly recommend the watermelon jalapeno margarita. YUM! [Also my second time eating here!]

Gourdough’s – We ate here for lunch on Friday, and the food truly hit the spot. There are essentially two menus – savory and sweet. The savory menu is full of unique salads, sandwiches, and burgers, while the sweet menu is full of donuts. And not just any donuts. Fancy and unique donuts.

Roshni and I once again shared a few different things – a salad and two kinds of donuts! It’s all about that balance. The first donut we ordered came with bananas, cream cheese frosting, caramel sauce, graham crackers, and caramelized pecans. It tasted like the most delicious banana cream pie you’ve ever had. The second donut we ordered was call blue balls – little donut holes infused with blueberries and drenched with a blueberry sauce. My sweet tooth was definitely satisfied after this meal!

Four Brothers – Instead of going out to eat on Saturday night, we opted to order in. I found this place on Yelp and decided to go with it and am so glad I did! Everyone got an arepa and a empanada, and both were delicious and so filling. All the girls loved this meal because it was different and something they’ve never had before.

Pueblo Viejo – Aekta’s friend Lori and I made the trek out to Pueblo Viejo on Saturday morning because we were both up early and starving! The menu is limited but offers some vegetarian options. The breakfast tacos are so good. You can tell everything is super fresh and very authentic. My favorite taco was filled with beans, potatoes, and cheese. So simple yet so damn good!

Stella San Jac – Those of us who were still around on Sunday morning ate here for brunch. The menu is pretty limited but includes all the classic brunch items you’d expect – french toast, biscuits, eggs, hash browns, etc. We ordered biscuits for the table (OMG!), and then I ordered a classic American plate as my main dish. The hash brown casserole that came on the side was nothing short of amazing. I want to try and recreate it at home!

Don’t miss my silly randomness on Snapcat (@myinnershakti)

Amy’s Ice Cream – I was really hoping we’d make it to the Amy’s Ice Cream shop in the city, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out. I did, however, have a tiny cup at the airport, and it was just as good as I remembered! I got the coffee ice cream and topped it with almonds (for anyone that cares!). Gate 12 is where it’s at, so if you don’t get to try it in the city, get your fill on your way home.

WHAT WE DID

Rooftop bars (The Blind Pig and Handlebar) – The weather was beautiful (and a little hot) on Thursday, so we decided to enjoy the warmth on a couple of different rooftop bars. Both had there own vibe (and cheap drinks) and were a ton of fun! In addition to these bars, we also went to Maggie Mae’s and Container Bar over the course of the weekend.

Bridal shower – We threw Aekta a surprise bridal/lingerie shower in the hotel on Friday afternoon. It was so much fun! We opened gifts, played games, and took pictures by our homemade photo booth. One of Aekta’s friends came up with the idea! She basically took a pink table cloth and taped it on the wall. She also bought a bunch of different props for us to wear. Genius!

Pubcrawler – After the shower, we went pubcrawled! This was my favorite part of the trip! Basically, we pedaled for two hours as we made our way around Austin, and stopped at a bunch of bars. There was no motor so you only went as fast as you pedaled. One of Aekta’s friends made an awesome playlist, so we danced and partied while getting a real workout. Best night ever!

Brewery Tour at Hops and Grain – On Saturday afternoon, we headed to this brewery for a little tour, some beer action, and board games. It was a low key way to spend a few hours, especially after a couple of crazy nights! The beer was delicious, and for just $10, you got to try four different brews.

VAMPS dance class – If you’re headed to Austin for a bachelorette party, VAMPS dance is a must do activity. Let’s just say that we all learned a few new moves. 😉

And that was pretty much our weekend! I can’t even begin to describe how much fun we all had. I definitely felt a wave of sadness hit me as everyone left and made there way home, but then I remembered that the wedding is 2 MONTHS AWAY. Two months from now the craziness will start again!

Overall, it was wonderful to get to know Aekta’s friends a bit better, have Roshni there to be silly/crazy with, and just spend quality time with my sissy!

Have you been to Austin before? What cities have you visited for bachelorette parties? Where was your bachelorette party (if you’re married of course!)?

So who wants to move to the awesome city of Austin with me? It’ll be glorious. I promise. We’ll listen to live bands, eat delicious food, walk around all of the quirky streets, and party like we’re back in undergrad. Any takers?!

Well, let me tell you more about my bachelorette party weekend first, and then you can decide.

My friend Purvi’s (the bachelorette) sister planned an amazing weekend for us – with a good mix of both bachelorette party and local Austin type activities.

Let’s break it down by day…

THURSDAY

We started off with lunch at one of the largest Whole Foods – I think someone said it was 80,000 square feet. I could’ve spent hours walking around. But instead, I headed straight to the hot bar to fix myself a box. Delicious!

After heading back to the hotel and relaxing for a bit, we got ready and headed out for drinks at a restaurant called Peche. We each ordered a different kind of martini. I went with the French 75 (gin, lemon juice, simple, and champagne). So clean and refreshing!

The night was just beginning because next up was a concert at The Moody Theater – Trombone Shorty. So much fun – great venue and awesome band.

And the night was still young as we headed out to the Sixth Street bars for some more fun!

FRIDAY

We got ready and walked to Torchy’s Taco Truck. No words can do these tacos justice. They were SO flavorful and fresh and delicious…my mouth is watering just thinking about them.

I went with the Fried Avocado taco (fried avocados, vegetarian refried beans, pico, lettuce and cheese) and the Dirty Sanchez taco (scrambled eggs with fried poblano chili, guacamole, carrots and shredded cheese).

After walking around South Congress (a fun little street with lots of cafes, shops, and food trucks) and waiting for the rest of the girls to arrive, we headed to the shooting range!

This was a super fun but totally scary experience. I couldn’t stop jumping while I was in the shooting area. It sounded like bombs were going off every five seconds.

Bachelorette Bandits!

Next up was the Broken Spoke for some dinner and two step. [Annnnnd this is when my camera died.] Get this…our group got selected to roll “the spoke” while the owner of the place sang. It’s supposedly a really big deal! Anyway, this is a must visit place if you’re ever in Austin. Lots of fun (and the food was amazing as well)!

And then we headed out to Sixth Street for some more dancing!

SATURDAY

All ten of us got ready and headed back to Torchy’s Taco Truck. We wanted everyone to experience the taco goodness.

After walking around for a bit, we headed back to the hotel and got ready to go to Ester Follies – a magic, comedy, and political satire show. It. Was. Hilarious. Another must do if you’re ever in Austin.

After the show, we headed to Trudy’s for dinner. I totally forgot to snap pictures of the food, but I guarantee it was delicious. Since I wasn’t too hungry, I ordered the Veggie Flaquities (whole black and pinto beans, spinach, corn, pico de gallo and cheese in crispy flour tortillas). Our table also ordered the Queso Especial (queso with guacamole and pico de gallo). Again, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

After dinner we went back to the hotel to play some fun bachelorette party games. And then…we headed back out to Sixth Street.

SUNDAY

My flight was super early, so with only two hours of sleep, I headed to the airport.

And because I’m so smart (typed with extreme sarcasm), I decided to fly in and out of the Fort Lauderdale airport. I figured I’d get to see Vishnu for a bit and SAVE $100. Well, guess what – the $100 wasn’t worth the tiring drive back. But it was worth seeing Vishnu, so I guess I win in the end.

What a fun weekend! I wish I could do it all over again. I can’t wait until Purvi’s wedding in May! If this weekend and these girls are any indication of the fun that will be had, I better start resting and prepping now!!